Google operating system?

[digitalwanderer]

Ok, granted it's a story on the Inquirerer...but even a broken clock is right twice a day, right?

Besides, I could almost see Google doing something like this...they're just big and nuts enough:

Rumors are all abuzz that the search outfit Google is sitting down and writing its own operating system.

The rumour started on http://www.scripting.com/ and is based on nothing other than the fact that the writer Dave Winer thinks it odd that Google has hired Microsoft’s operating system architect, Mark Lucovsky.

It's a short story, but there is a bit more you can go and read over here at the Inquirerer.

 

[Humus]

So MS tries to compete with google, and google wants to compete back in MS on backyard. Hmm, would be cool but I don't really see it happening.

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

So MS tries to compete with google, and google wants to compete back in MS on backyard. Hmm, would be cool but I don't really see it happening.

I see it happening.
Microsoft's dominance will not last forever.
Each step people take in using and/or developing competing products, is one bit more of competition.

 

[RussSchultz]

Its been an ongoing rumor for months, now.

I don't see it happening, either. There's probably some kernel (heheheheh) of truth to it, but it isn't a competitor to Windows.

 

[silence]

as far as i know, rumor was about Google browser based on Firefox, not OS.
but with cash Google got, you can only guess what they gonna do next.

BTW :: i love Picassa2.....great piece of software

 

[Killer-Kris]

If I were them I'd definitely go for it, though it would just be another linux distro. Just spend all the time, money, and effort on making it painless to use. Because other than that there's not a whole lot holding Linux back, at least from the general populace.

 

[_xxx_]

Oh, there is. Lack of SW, games and funny stuff.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, there is. Lack of SW, games and funny stuff.

Lack of Games is true. But lack of SW and funny stuff for the general populace? All software needs are more or less taken care of...

 

[StefanS]

Oh, there is. Lack of SW, games and funny stuff.

Lack of Games is true. But lack of SW and funny stuff for the general populace? All software needs are more or less taken care of...

That was me...

 

[_xxx_]

I mean common stuff like Office, Photoshop, blah. The compatibility is still lacking and that's what prevents it most from grabbing a bigger market share.

 

[Frank]

I mean common stuff like Office, Photoshop, blah. The compatibility is still lacking and that's what prevents it most from grabbing a bigger market share.

You mean, common stuff like OpenOffice and the Gimp? What compatibility would be lacking? Or do you say that as long as it isn't an exact Microsoft clone, it isn't functional?

 

[Simon F]

Or do you say that as long as it isn't an exact Microsoft clone, it isn't functional?

Let's face it. We certainly all want a clone of the Word functionality whcih gives you (paraphrasing...)

Error: Word cannot save your document. Check that you have not run out of disk space or choose another drive"

It's a nice little feature that drives me mad. When editing diagrams or equations, it appears that MS Word keeps opening temporary files and not closing them until you get to the stage where it runs out of file handles and you can't save your work.

 

[_xxx_]

I mean common stuff like Office, Photoshop, blah. The compatibility is still lacking and that's what prevents it most from grabbing a bigger market share.

You mean, common stuff like OpenOffice and the Gimp? What compatibility would be lacking? Or do you say that as long as it isn't an exact Microsoft clone, it isn't functional?

In companies you have loads of stuff running VB or through IE only. OpenOffice has no VB, for instance. And you can't be serious comparing Gimp to Photoshop

Of course it all works, but as long as there is that much stuff MS-only, noone's going to switch over just like that.

 

[Frank]

In companies you have loads of stuff running VB or through IE only. OpenOffice has no VB, for instance.

Yes, I know. "I've got this sheet and address list, can you make me a report in Word and have it mailed automatically?" That is the single most expensive part of the (hidden) IT budget for most large companies. It never works well, and it is never finished. They should get rid of it.

And you can't be serious comparing Gimp to Photoshop

Well, I heard that the last versions are actually very capable, it only does things in a different way, and the menu structure is totally different. Photoshop users complain about it being just a toy, and when pointed out how the things they want can be done, they say they can't remember and it takes too much time. (Although I would admit that Photoshop is the superior product for people who use nothing else all day.)

Like OpenOffice versus Microsoft Office, for the most part. "OpenOffice has no replacement for Access! It is just a toy!" "You shouldn't use Access, let a professional make a real database. But if you really want to, you can use any datasource in OpenOffice, and you can make nice forms to fill in the data."

Of course it all works, but as long as there is that much stuff MS-only, noone's going to switch over just like that.

Yes, opt-in. The essence of most companies nowadays only consist of computer data and programs running on Microsoft computers and applications. Most managers think the risk of the company going broke and dissolving during a switch is just too great. And it is costly to switch away. Microsoft could probably double all prices without losing much corporate sales.

 

[Frank]

Error: Word cannot save your document. Check that you have not run out of disk space or choose another drive"

It's a nice little feature that drives me mad. When editing diagrams or equations, it appears that MS Word keeps opening temporary files and not closing them until you get to the stage where it runs out of file handles and you can't save your work.

In a recent test by C'T, they showed that it is impossible to create a large document containing multiple large tables, different headers and footers and an automatic index in Word. They just couldn't get it to work at all. And I know all about that from personal experience. I've seen people cry about losing a week work against a deadline and no solution.

OpenOffice on the other hand, scored an A+ on all those counts.

 

[mjtdevries]

Digi,
The Inquirer should not be compared to a broken clock!

You should compare them to a clock running slow, so that it is only right twice a year

 

[London Geezer]

Digi,
The Inquirer should not be compared to a broken clock!

You should compare them to a clock running slow, so that it is only right twice a year

I think we should compare them to a cow's huge liquid smelly shit.

 

[_xxx_]

Yes, I know. "I've got this sheet and address list, can you make me a report in Word and have it mailed automatically?" That is the single most expensive part of the (hidden) IT budget for most large companies. It never works well, and it is never finished. They should get rid of it.

Now try doing that in a company like DaimlerChrysler with about 2,000,000 PC's and keeping the business running as usual...the nightmare of all IT people. It's not likely to happen anytime soon.

EDIT:
We switched from Outlook to Lotus Notes about 6 months ago. It _still_ doesn't work right and we are only about 700 people on site.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

EDIT:
We switched from Outlook to Lotus Notes about 6 months ago. It _still_ doesn't work right and we are only about 700 people on site.

Lotus Notes (shudder). Always implemented by some top level manager who never had to get it to work, and is so non-technical that he never knew basic functions like inline quoting were broken because he never actually wrote any emails.

On-topic: I doubt Google are writing an OS. That's a massive undertaking that takes a lot of manpower, money and time. At best it would be some *nix variation where most of the work has already been done by the public domain. Anything more would not get the needed support from hardware companies for drivers and the like.

 

[_xxx_]

SCO would be really happy to get those license fees...

I can imagine them using Linux, but adding a nice, user-friendly interface. THAT would be the only thing that could make Linux more appealing to the wide audience.